Eric Brown Who Stole White House Van With Audio Equipment Sentenced

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia man who stole a truck containing President Obama's audio equipment has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison.

Eric Brown of Richmond apologized Thursday before U.S. District Judge John Gibney imposed the sentence, which was agreed upon by prosecutors and Brown's attorney. Authorities in three counties surrounding Richmond agreed that if Brown got seven years, they would not prosecute him for 14 similar thefts.

The 49-year-old Brown pleaded guilty in January to theft of government property. The 2005 van was stolen from a suburban Richmond hotel parking lot in October 2011, ahead of an appearance by Obama several days later. Along with audio equipment, the van contained a laptop computer, presidential seals and a podium. Some of the items were later recovered at Maryland pawn shops.